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Cultural Tourism in Regional NSW

In 2024, the NSW Regional Arts Network commissioned Patternmakers to produce a new analysis of cultural tourism in regional NSW.

We analysed over 3,200 cultural tourism experiences currently on offer in regional NSW and found that cultural tourism is not only pivotal for the economy, it is socially and culturally important, enabling visitors to learn and engage with Australian communities in a deeper way.

Last year, cultural tourism experiences in regional NSW attracted an estimated 5.8 million visitors, who generated $6.2 billion in visitor expenditure in the State.

That makes it larger than the cultural tourism sector in metro NSW, and any other regional area of the country.

Cultural tourism, while pivotal for the economy, is also socially and culturally important, enabling visitors to learn and engage with Australian communities in a deeper way. As noted in the NSW Visitor Economy Strategy, there is growing consumer desire for connecting authentically with local culture.

In 2024, the NSW Regional Arts Network commissioned Patternmakers to produce a new analysis of cultural tourism in regional NSW. In light of the NSW Government's focus on 'experience tourism', this report provides insights into the scale of cultural tourism and opportunities to support its development.

As part of this project, we produced a database that confirmed at least 3,200 cultural tourism experiences on offer in regional NSW — the largest picture of cultural tourism to date. 

With tourism still recovering from the pandemic, there are signs that authentic, engaging cultural tourism experiences will be important for the future growth of the tourism industry, and for a happier, healthier world.

Download the Report

Click the button below for the full story on the state of cultural tourism in regional NSW, including five areas of opportunity for development and regional snapshots of 15 Regional Arts Development Organisations (RADOs). 

 

Data was collected by a scan of existing literature, stakeholder interviews and collating available tourism listings from various sources. Regional Arts Development Officers (RADO) were invited to add missing experiences active in their regions.

The NSW Regional Arts Network and Patternmakers would like to acknowledge the participants in this research, who took their time to contribute to this study, and the organisations involved.

If you have any thoughts or questions about the research, get in touch with us via info@thepatternmakers.com.au.

 

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When art sparks change

In 2023, Patternmakers tested a new way of showcasing Community Arts and Cultural Development, a specialist art form, where professional artist facilitators work with communities to co-create projects with purpose.

Commissioned by Creative Australia, the project turned existing information like project acquittal forms and social posts into dynamic digital stories. Explore the interactive digital resource ‘When Art Sparks Change’, now live.

All around Australia, artists are sparking social change, working with communities to tell their stories, tackle big issues and create common ground.

Community Arts and Cultural Development (CACD) is a specialist art form where professional artist facilitators work with communities to co-create projects with purpose. However, many Australians are not. Research shows that of all the artforms, our population has a particularly limited understanding of the benefits of CACD.

’When art sparks change’ is a digital resources that collates a selection of local case studies to showcase the inspiring work led by CACD artists. As Australia grapples with a civic crisis, their work has never been more needed.

Click the button below to learn more about the project and scroll through the digital resource: 'When Art Sparks Change' or download the PDF detailing the web content.

Image Credit: Robert Catto, Milk Crate Theatre’s DUST.

 
 

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Creative Sector Mapping with Arts Mid North Coast

In 2023, Arts Mid North Coast commissioned Patternmakers to help map the region’s creative sector, and how it can be supported to make the area even more vibrant and inclusive.

Along with a sector survey, we facilitated ‘Creative Futures’, a series of informal networking events and discussion groups featuring creative exercises to explore the future of the sector.

As the most populated regional area of NSW, the creative industries play a huge role in the Mid North Coast culturally, socially, and economically.

In 2024, the region’s peak arts organisation, Arts Mid North Coast (AMNC), commissioned Patternmakers to help develop a new evidence base to support the region’s creative sector.

Data was collected via a combination of 7 stakeholder interviews, 3 public consultation/networking events, 5 online focus groups and a survey with 352 respondents.

Key findings

The Mid North Coast is changing, and the region is now home to over 3,000 cultural and creative sector workers.

  • Since 2016, employment and business counts in these industries both grew over 20%. Within this set of industries, there is a vibrant population of artists, including long-time locals (60%) and newcomers (40%) from places like Sydney and Melbourne which are becoming unaffordable for artists.

  • There is a sense that the region has ‘come a long way’ in recent years, with exciting developments like new facilities, increasing gallery sales in some places, and cultural venue redevelopments.

  • However, right now, the arts is suffering in the context of what some are calling ‘eco-social collapse’. The pandemic and cost-of-living crisis have taken their toll, and some people and organisations are downsizing or moving out of the sector altogether.

  • There is ambition in the sector not just to survive these tough times – but continuing growing a flourishing creative community in the region.

Download the Fact Sheet

Click the button below to read the community profiles and creative opportunities for the six LGA’s in the region: Kempsey, Bellingen, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Mid-Coast, Nambucca Valley & Coffs Harbour.

 

About the commissioning organisation

Arts Mid North Coast is committed to supporting and collaborating with government, communities, organisations, business, and individuals to build capacity and create opportunities for the arts and creative industries.

AMNC envisions a vibrant and diverse region that embraces the creation, understanding and appreciation of the arts on fostering economic, community, cultural and environmental opportunities, and benefits.

AMNC is now in a new chapter, with a new Director and working towards a new strategic plan. They want to develop strategies around projects and programs that are most needed, and know how to prioritise these moving forward.

Acknowledgements

Arts Mid North Coast and Patternmakers would like to acknowledge the participants in this research who took the time to contribute to this study.

If you have any thoughts or questions about the research, get in touch with us via info@thepatternmakers.com.au.

 

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Audience Research for the National Gallery of Victoria

Since 2019, Patternmakers has been the research partner for the NGV, one of the most visited museums in Australia. Year-round, we conduct audience research for the National Gallery of Victoria in order to provide insights into the motivations and behaviours of its visitors.

Since 2019, Patternmakers has been the research partner for the NGV, one of the most visited museums in Australia. Year-round, we conduct audience research for the National Gallery of Victoria in order to provide insights into the motivations and behaviours of its visitors.

This project involves on-site intercepts of visitors exiting one of two NGV sites, along with focus group research into strategic opportunities. We provide monthly email updates, quarterly snapshot reporting (including the production of data tables), and action research workshops to apply insights in the organisation’s work throughout the year. Our partner on this project is Tony Medic and the Milicante Consulting team.

Image Credit: www.timeout.com/melbourne/art/artworks-at-the-ngv-every-melburnian-should-see

 
 

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Researching Participation Pathways for Australian Dancers

Patternmakers is working with The Australian Ballet and the Australian Ballet School in 2023, conducting research into participation pathways for Australian dancers.

Dance schools play a vital role for families, communities and Australia's professional dance sector, but the pandemic has impacted their work.

In 2023, we were commissioned by The Australian Ballet (TAB) and The Australian Ballet School (ABS) to conduct research into participation pathways for Australian dancers. 560 stakeholders, including dance teachers, studio owners, students and parents of students, participated in this project, and many expressed support for change in the dance industry. 

The project aimed to help The Australian Ballet and The Australian Ballet School better understand the current landscape of dance participation in Australia, identify motivations and barriers and investigate how wider and more diverse participation in ballet can be encouraged.

Download the Fact Sheet

Click the button below to read the full story, including statistics around enrolment, diversity of participation, and areas of opportunity within the dance sector. 

Each year, around 80 dancers are employed at TAB and around 100 students train at ABS, with most emerging from amongst the 4,000 private dance studios operating in Australia.

We found that financial barriers are a significant roadblock inhibiting the ability of some to discover dance, with 67% of dance teachers and 54% of parents/caregivers and past/current students seeing this as a barrier to enrolling. 

“Dance is so expensive, and we make so many sacrifices so our girls can dance...

Even though dancing at The Australian Ballet School is my eldest daughter’s dream, we just can’t cut back anymore to make it happen.””
— Parent/caregiver, regional NSW

There is also strong support to continue the momentum towards increasing diverse representation in dance, with 95% of respondents believing that dance should be accessible for people of all backgrounds. 

The research demonstrates that TAB and ABS are positioned to continue leading and supporting change across the ballet and dance sectors, in partnership with organisations such as The Royal Academy of Dance, NAISDA, Blakdance, Bangarra, AusDance, state dance organisations and others. 

“It’s a really important time in the ballet world to have an honest conversation about this and look at the profession and try to make a difference.”
— Andrew Murphy, Artistic Teacher of Classical Dance and Ballet Master at ABS



Tips for private dance studios

TAB and ABS are grateful to the many dance teachers and dance school owners who participated in this research. Based on the ideas and experiences shared by these professionals, we’ve compiled a checklist of insights for private dance studios:

If you have any thoughts or questions about the research, get in touch with us via info@thepatternmakers.com.au.

Image Credit: australianballet.com.au/our-dancers

Those invested in the dance sector, may be interested to read other recent research about the industry, including:

 
 

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Creative Sector Mapping with Arts Northern Rivers

From 2023 to 2025, the Patternmakers team worked with Arts Northern Rivers on a Creative Sector Mapping Project.

Commissioned in the aftermath of the 2022 flood and storm events, the project aimed to measure the size and changes in the region’s creative sector, and identify opportunities for the future.

In 2023 and 2024, the Patternmakers team is working with Arts Northern Rivers on a Creative Sector Mapping Project to quantify the sector’s activity and needs, and identify opportunities for the future.

Arts Northern Rivers is the region’s peak arts body committed to fostering creative industries, encouraging excellence, and working to ensure access and engagement with arts and cultural activities.

In the wake of the 2022 storm and flooding events which affected the region, ANR has led a number of initiatives to bring the creative community together, revitalise cohorts and networks and support the Northern Rivers on its path towards a thriving future.

With support from the NSW Government, ANR commissioned Patternmakers to undertake a Mapping Project in 2023 and 2024, to measure the region’s creative sectors and explore a strategic approach to recovery support, investment and infrastructure across the region.

Image Credit: Kate Holmes, courtesy of Arts Northern Rivers.

 
 
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Visitor Research for ACMI

Patternmakers is working with ACMI to provide insight into visitor motivations, behaviour and barriers.

Since 2022, Patternmakers has been the research partner for ACMI, Melbourne's museum for screen culture.

We conduct year-round research for ACMI to provide insight into visitor motivations, behaviour and barriers.

This project involves on-site intercepts of visitors exiting the museum, along with focus group research into strategic oppportunities. We provide quarterly snapshot reports as well as detailed annual reporting and presentations. Our partner on this project is Tony Medic and the Milicante Consulting team.

Image Credit: Adam Gibson, www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/story-of-the-moving-image-exhibition/

 
 

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Evaluation of the Melbourne Fringe Radical Access Program

Patternmakers is working with Melbourne Fringe to evaluate their Radical Access Program (2022-2024).

After working with Melbourne Fringe in 2018-2020 on an evaluation of their Access and Inclusion Program, Patternmakers has been engaged again to assist in evaluation of the new three-year Radical Access program (2022-2024).

Led in partnership with Arts Access Victoria, Radical Access is the first phase of a ten-year plan that reflects the organisations' joint aim to radically shift the understanding and implementation of accessibility in the arts.

The evaluation involves tracking key measures over three years, annual reflection workshops and a fuller evaluation after 3 years including analysis of all available data and a series of interviews.

Check out current Radical Access Events here.

Image Credit: melbournefringe.com.au/news/bold-moves-towards-radical-access/

 
 

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Evaluating the Impact of NGA Exhibition Touring

Patternmakers is working with the National Gallery of Australia to evaluate the impact of exhibition touring across the country.

In 2023 and 2024, Patternmakers is working with the National Gallery of Australia and regional galleries around the country to evaluate the impact of NGA tours.

Each year, the National Gallery of Australia creates and tours a range of exhibitions, from contemporary and historical works by Australian and international artists. The tours range from large-scale exhibitions with complex needs for climate controlled spaces, to virtual reality experiences and Art Cases able to travel to schools, libraries and aged care homes to inspire creativity, inclusivity, and learning.

Patternmakers will be collaborating with the NGA team and regional galleries to gather data and understand how audiences and communities engage and interact with tours, what they take away, and how all involved can work together to continue growing the impact of Australia’s largest collection in regional places.

 

Take the survey

Have you engaged with a National Gallery of Australia touring exhibition? Whether that be the Terminus VR experience, the Know My Name: Australian Women Artists exhibition or Patricia Piccinini's Skywhales, we want to hear from you. 

In June 2024, The National Gallery of Australia, in partnership with galleries around Australia, is launching a survey of Australian visitors to touring exhibitions. We want to know what touring exhibitions resonate with you - and how Australian communities can get even more value from access to the national collection. 

This short survey only takes 10-15 minutes, and by participating, you can enter the draw to win one of 3 x $200 Mastercard e-giftcards.

By entering the survey you are consenting to Patternmakers’ Privacy Policy.

Image credit: Patricia Piccinini, Skywhale, 2013, National Gallery of Australia.

 

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